Apparatus for practising physical exercises

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an apparatus intended for physical exercises, comprising two lateral arms each having an arched geometry forming a front vertical portion and a rear horizontal portion extending under the vertical portion. The vertical portions are connected by a transverse slat forming an upper bearing section in a plane P 1  on a first side of a structure. The horizontal portions are connected by a transverse bar having two end portions laterally protruding respectively from each. The end portions each have a front bearing section in a plane P 2  on a second side of the structure, as well as a rear section for gripping by the user. The transverse bar is slidably mounted on the horizontal portions with a locking mechanism for reversibly locking its position in order to set the distance between the planes P 1  and P 2.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority of French patent application number 2207102, filed on Jul. 11, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an apparatus intended for practising physical exercises, particularly muscle exercises using pull-ups.

It is known from documents EP-2 624 917 and U.S. Pat. No. 9,616,264 apparatuses comprising two lateral arms transversally spaced apart, each by having an arched geometry forming a rear vertical portion and a front horizontal portion extending under said vertical portion, and wherein:

-   -   the vertical portions are connected by a transverse slat, by         defining an upper bearing section in a first vertical plane of         said apparatus on a first side of a structure;     -   the horizontal portions are connected by a transverse bar having         two end portions laterally protruding respectively from an arm,         each end portion having a front bearing section in a second         vertical plane of said apparatus on a second side of the         structure.

These apparatuses are adapted to be mounted in the upper portion of the opening of a structure, for example the frame of a door, in order to enable a user to perform pull-up exercises by hanging from the arms of such an apparatus to work the muscles of their arms.

In particular, when practising the sports activity, the front bearing sections are intended to bear on either side of a side of the door frame, whereas the upper bearing section is intended to be supported on a side opposite and above said frame.

The document EP-2 624 917 further provides to equip the apparatus with an attachment element configured to forcibly bear against the frame of the door, so as to cooperate with the lower transverse bar to secure said apparatus on the upper portion of said door.

This solution does not provide entire satisfaction, in that the attachment of the apparatus is complicated to implement. Furthermore, the longitudinal spacing between the upper and front bearing sections is fixed, so that proper attachment of the apparatus cannot be guaranteed on door frames of different thicknesses. Likewise, the arms are disposed between the front bearing sections with a fixed spacing, which goes against the modularity of the apparatus.

SUMMARY

The aim of the invention is to improve the prior art particularly by proposing an apparatus the mounting of which on a structure can be performed simply and reliably, while being modular in particular in relation with the thickness of the structure.

For this purpose, the invention proposes an apparatus intended for practising physical exercises, particularly muscle exercises using pull-ups, comprising two lateral arms transversally spaced apart each by having an arched geometry forming a front vertical portion and a rear horizontal portion extending under said vertical portion, the vertical portions being connected by a transverse slat by defining an upper bearing section in a plane P1 of said apparatus on a first side of a structure, the horizontal portions being connected by a transverse bar having two end portions laterally protruding respectively from an arm, each of said end portions having a front bearing section in a plane P2 of said apparatus on a second side of the structure, each of said end portions having a rear section for gripping by the user, said bar being slidably mounted on the horizontal portions of the arms by means of a mechanism for reversibly locking the position of said bar so as to be able to set the distance between the planes P1 and P2.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further specific features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, made with reference to the appended figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows in perspective an exercise apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 a and FIG. 2 b show the apparatus of FIG. 1 during its mounting on a structure, respectively in perspective (FIG. 2 a ) and in side view (FIG. 2 b );

FIG. 3 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 wherein the distance between the planes P1 and P2 is set for its attachment on a structure;

FIG. 4 a and FIG. 4 b show respectively in perspective (FIG. 4 a ) and in side view (FIG. 4 b ) the apparatus of FIG. 3 attached on the structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In relation with these figures, an apparatus intended for practising physical exercises, particularly muscle exercises using pull-ups, is described below.

The apparatus comprises two lateral arms 1 transversally spaced apart, each by having an arched geometry forming a front vertical portion 1 a and a rear horizontal portion 1 b extending under said vertical portion.

In the embodiment shown, the arms 1 have a tubular geometry, and may be made of a metal material.

The vertical portions 1 a are connected by a transverse slat 2, by defining an upper bearing section 6 in a plane P1 of the apparatus on a first side of a structure 3.

Likewise, the horizontal portions 1 b are connected by a transverse bar 4 that has two end portions 5 laterally protruding respectively from an arm 1, each end portion 5 having a front bearing section 5 a in a plane P2 of the apparatus on a second side of the structure 3.

In particular, as shown in FIGS. 2 a, 2 b, 4 a and 4 b , the front bearing sections 5 a are intended, when practising an exercise such as mentioned above, to be disposed on either side of a side of the opening 3 a of a structure 3, for example the frame of a door, the upper bearing section 6 being intended to be supported on an opposite side above the opening 3 a.

In the description, the terms of positioning in space are made with reference to the structure 3 on which the apparatus is mounted, represented by a door frame in the figures. Thus, the term “transverse” refers to a direction parallel to the width of the opening 3 a of the structure, and the term “longitudinal” refers to a direction perpendicular to this width. Likewise, the terms “front” and “rear” are made with reference to positions along the longitudinal direction, and located respectively on the left and on the right in FIGS. 2 b and 4 b.

The upper slat 2 may preferably be made of a metal material but also of wood or of plastic material, and may be associated with the vertical portions 1 a by screwing, as shown in the figures, or by welding.

In relation with the figures, the slat 2 is associated at the rear of the upper end of the vertical portions 1 a, in order to be disposed at a height that is sufficient to enable it to rest on the upper plinth 3 b of the door frame 3.

The slat 2 has a rectangular section, the thickness of which may particularly be arranged to make it possible for a rear surface 2 a of said slat to bear in the plane P1 on a wall portion extending above the upper plinth 3 b.

The bar 4 is preferably made of a metal material, and has a tubular geometry, particularly with an external diameter substantially equal to the external diameters of each of the lateral arms 1.

The front sections 5 a are each equipped with a pad 7 for bearing on the second side of the structure 3. In particular, the pads 7 have planar front surfaces 8 that define the bearing plane P2, which makes it possible to stabilise the mounting of the apparatus by the bearing of said planar surfaces on a planar wall of the structure 3, particularly a jamb 3 c of the door frame 3 or a wall portion extending next to said doorjamb.

The pads 7 may be made of a material having elastomer properties, in order to bear against lateral jambs 3 c or wall portions disposed on either side of the door frame 3 without damaging them.

Advantageously, the pads 7 may be made of a rigid material, particularly of plastic, of wood or of metal, their front surfaces 8 being able to be covered with a covering 9 made of elastomer material, for example of polymer foam.

Such a covering 9 may also be associated on the lower and/or rear surfaces 2 a of the transverse slat 2, so as not to damage the wall portions and/or the plinth on which they bear when mounting the apparatus on the door frame 3.

The pads 7 have a height h that is greater than the external dimension d of the front sections 5 a of the bar 4, corresponding to the external diameter of said bar, in order to bear against the jambs 3 c with an improved stability, particularly under the effect of the weight exerted by a user that hangs from the apparatus to perform pull-up exercises. In particular, the height h of the pads 7 is at least three times greater than the external diameter d of the bar 4.

Advantageously, the apparatus, once attached to the structure 3, may perfectly be removed from said structure without having to unlock the mechanism 11 or change a setting. For this, the height h of the pads 7 may be arranged sufficiently short to make it possible for the apparatus to tilt by inclining the bar 4, for example by approximately 30°.

The pads 7 each have a mounting pipe on the front sections 5 a, said pipes being clipped on the tubular geometry of said front sections then attached.

At least one pad 7 is slidably mounted transversally on the corresponding front section 5 a, so as to be able to set the spacing of the bearing surfaces 8 of the pads 7 on the second side of the structure 3, for example depending on the width of the opening 3 a of said structure.

In the figures, each pad 7 is slidably mounted on its front section 5 a. For this, each front section 5 a has a row of holes 10 transversally spaced apart by a constant pitch, each by defining a defined position for the pad 7 for setting the transverse spacing, a screw making it possible, once adjusted to the width of the opening 3 a, to immobilise the pads 7 on their respective front section 5 a.

Alternatively, each pad 7 may have a pin mounted on a spring that extends longitudinally in its mounting pipe, in such a way as to elastically engage in the facing hole 10 when the user moves said pad along the front section 5 a, in order to automatically lock the setting selected.

The bar 4 is slidably mounted on the horizontal portions 1 b of the arms 1 by means of a mechanism for reversibly locking the position of said bar, so as to be able to set the longitudinal distance between the planes P1 and P2.

Thus, the transverse slat 2 and the front sections 5 a of the bar 4 together form a clip that clasps the structure 3 in a way adapted to its thickness, which makes it possible to mount the apparatus simply and reliably on structures 3 of different thicknesses.

Advantageously, the bar 4 is slidably mounted free on the horizontal portions 1 b of the arms 1, the locking mechanism comprising a member 11 for clamping the bar 4 on at least one of said horizontal portions.

This arrangement makes it possible to very accurately set the longitudinal distance between the bearing planes P1, P2, in order to form a clip adapted to all types of doors, and thus ensure a compatibility of the apparatus with a greater number of structures 3.

The bar 4 comprises two sleeves 12 each longitudinally slidably mounted on respectively a horizontal portion 1 b of an arm 1, each front section 5 a being associated at one of its ends with the corresponding sleeve 12, in order to be moved longitudinally by sliding said sleeve.

The clamping mechanism further comprises two clamps 11 each integrated respectively into a sleeve 12, in order to be able to slide freely around the corresponding horizontal portion 1 b, each clamp 11 being equipped with a lever 13 for clamping around said portion, for example of the cam lever type, in order to lock the distance selected between the planes P1 and P2.

In the embodiment shown, the bar 4 has a central portion 14 disposed between the horizontal portions 1 b of the arms 1, by being associated on either side with respectively a sleeve 12. This arrangement enables the user to simultaneously move the front sections 5 a, particularly by manipulating said central portion, in order to facilitate the setting of the distance between the planes P1 and P2.

In particular, the central portion 14 has two ends that are each reversibly associated with a sleeve 12, in order to make it possible to dismantle the apparatus.

Each sleeve 12 comprises a longitudinal end fitting 15 that defines a housing for receiving an end of the central portion 14. Moreover, each end of the central portion 14 is screwed into a hole provided for this purpose on the end fitting 15.

Each end portion 5 of the bar 4 further has a rear section 5 b for gripping by the user, particularly during the practice of a pull-up exercise.

Each rear gripping section 5 b is disposed longitudinally facing the corresponding front section 5 a, which constitutes a particularly intuitive location for the user, but also enables said user to exert weight close to the bearing plane P2 when they hang from the apparatus, in order to improve the stability of said apparatus when practising exercises by said user. Moreover, the rear sections 5 b are disposed outside of the arms 1, which improves their gripping by the user.

In particular, the front 5 a and rear sections 5 b of an end portion 5 are longitudinally spaced apart by a distance at least sufficient to enable the user to dispose their fingers between them, and to make it possible to increase the lever arm force that reinforces the clip effect and the stability of the apparatus. In particular, the distance between the sections 5 a, 5 b may be between a minimal distance making it possible to dispose fingers and a maximum distance corresponding to that which would generate a lever arm that would “damage” the wall/the door during the use by an individual at the maximum weight indicated (130 kg).

In the embodiment shown, the front 5 a and rear sections 5 b of an end portion 5 are arranged to be jointly slidably movable on the horizontal portions 1 b of the arms 1, in order to limit the manipulations to be carried out to mount and use the apparatus.

According to variants not shown, the rear sections 5 b of the end portions 5 may be associated on the horizontal portions 1 b of the arms 1 in a fixed or movable manner independent from the front sections 5 a.

In the figures, each of the end portions 5 has a U-shaped geometry the branches of which respectively form the front section 5 a and the rear section 5 b, the ends of said U being associated with the sleeve 12, for example by welding.

Moreover, the front 5 a and rear sections 5 b both extend transversely outside of the arms 1 and of the structure 3 to enable the user to be able to suitably modulate their grip.

The rear sections 5 b have an outer surface that is arranged to improve their gripping by the user. For this, in relation with FIGS. 1, 2 a, 3 and 4 a, each rear section 5 b has a rear surface whereon an array 16 of mutually parallel oblique ribs is formed, in order to limit the sliding of the hands of the user on them when practising an exercise.

In a variant not shown, the rear sections 5 b may comprise a covering at least partially covering their periphery, said covering being able to be made of foam or of elastomer material.

In order to mount the apparatus on the frame of a door 3, the user disposes the transverse slat 2 bearing on the upper plinth 3 b on a first side of said door frame, with the plane P2 at a distance from the side opposite said structure (FIGS. 2 a, 2 b ).

Subsequently, the user makes the bar 4 slide along the horizontal portions 1 b of the arms 1, for example by pushing the central portion 14 forwards, until the pads 7 of the front sections 5 a bear on the second side of the door frame 3, on each door jamb 3 c on either side of the opening 3 a of the door.

In particular, the user may move beforehand at least one pad 7 along the corresponding front section 5 a, in such a way as to adapt the transverse spacing between said pads to the width of the opening 3 a.

Finally, the user locks the longitudinal position of the bar 4, and therefore the distance between the bearing planes P1 and P2, by folding back the levers 13 of the clamping members 11 (FIGS. 4 a, 4 b ).

Advantageously, the shape and the dimensions of the arms 1 enable the user to dismantle the apparatus from the door frame 3 without having to loosen the bar 4, so that the clamping members 11 only serve to block the sliding of said bar. Thus, the user may easily remove and replace the apparatus on a same structure without having to re-set the distance between the planes P1 and P2. 

1. An apparatus for practising physical exercises, comprising two lateral arms transversally spaced apart, each lateral arm having an arched geometry forming a front vertical portion and each lateral arm having a rear horizontal portion extending under the front vertical portion, the two front vertical portions being connected by a transverse slat the transverse slat defining an upper bearing section in a plane P1 of the apparatus on a first side of a structure, the rear horizontal portions being connected by a transverse bar having two end portions each end portion laterally protruding respectively from one of the lateral arms each of the end portions having a front bearing section in a plane P2 of the apparatus on a second side of the structure, wherein each of the two end portions has a rear section for gripping by the user, the transverse bar being slidably mounted on the horizontal portions of the arms by a locking mechanism configured for reversibly locking the position of the transverse bar relative to the distance between the planes P1 and P2.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the front bearing sections and rear sections of the end portions are configured to be jointly movable by sliding on the rear horizontal portions of the two lateral arms.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein both the bearing front sections of the transverse bar are each equipped with a pad configured for bearing on the second side of the structure.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the pads have a height (h) that is greater than the external dimension (d) of the front bearing sections of the transverse bar, and being configured to permit the apparatus to tilt by inclining the transverse bar.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least one pad with a pad bearing surface and the pad is configured to slide transversally on the front bearing section and to set the spacing of the bearing pad surface on the second side of the structure.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transverse bar has a central portion disposed between the rear horizontal portions of the arms, the central portion being associated on either side with a sleeve that is slidably mounted on respectively one of the horizontal portions.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the central portion has two ends that are reversibly associated with the sleeve.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the front bearing sections and/or rear sections of each of the end portions are associated with the sleeve.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transverse bar is slidably mounted free on the rear horizontal portions of the arms, the locking mechanism comprises a member for clamping the transverse bar on at least one of the rear horizontal portions.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the member comprises a clamp slidably mounted free around the rear horizontal portion, the transverse bar being connected with the clamp configured with a lever for clamping around the rear horizontal portion.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the end portions has a U-shaped geometry the branches of which respectively form the front bearing section and the rear section.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the front bearing sections and rear sections of an end portion are longitudinally spaced apart by a distance at least sufficient to permit a user's fingers to be dispose between them.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the front bearing sections are configured to be disposed on either side of a side of an opening of a structure, the upper bearing section being configured to be supported on a side opposite of the structure from the bearing surfaces and above the opening. 